30-07-2019, 12:04 PM
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Runcorn fraudster claimed dead dad's benefits in £740k scam
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-englan...yside-49151801Ethel McGill, 68, of Runcorn in Cheshire, continued to claim her father Robert Dennison's war pension and benefits after his death in 2004.
She also feigned dementia and claimed she needed a wheelchair, Liverpool Crown Court heard on Monday.
McGill admitted fraud and was jailed for five years and 10 months.
The court heard the con unravelled when investigators filmed her walking and driving.
McGill, of Windmill Hill, pleaded guilty to 14 counts, including conspiracy to commit fraud, false accounting and false representation.
She had asked a friend to lie in bed and pretend to be her father when the authorities visited, the court heard.
A Department for Work and Pensions spokesperson said this was "deliberate and sustained" deception and in addition to any sentence "people must pay back all the money they falsely obtained."
I worked for DWP on DLA and occasionally came across fraud, but never on that scale .....
30-07-2019, 02:45 PM
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Re: Runcorn fraudster claimed dead dad's benefits in £740k scam
That I guess will probably be the end of any kind of life for her. Under the Proceeds of Crime laws everything she owns will be considered as bought with the proceeds of the crimes for which she has been found guilty. That level of fraud leaves such a large amount to repay I doubt it will ever be settled in full, unless the Courts find otherwise of course.That doesn't end there either, apparently. If the full amount she gained by fraud is not recovered then anything she may buy in the future could be considered as recoverable.
Rather like going bankrupt, future income can I believe be taken to go towards what is owed. Except that in bankruptcy there is a limit to the number of years before it expires.
With the Proceeds of Crime laws it would seem there is no limit on the time anything can be claimed back.
Not before time this kind of law was brought in. In the past criminals just stashed their ill-gotten gains, served their time and came out to be able to have a really good time.
Not any more though, which is brilliant I reckon.
740K isn't that much over a 15 year period.
30-07-2019, 03:34 PM
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Re: Runcorn fraudster claimed dead dad's benefits in £740k scam
Originally Posted by Besoeker
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One thing that wondering about is the 740k over 15 years is close to 50k a year. Would the dad have been able to claim that much?
More to the point, what are the chances of recovering some of this money? Has she got any assets that can be sold?
30-07-2019, 03:38 PM
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Re: Runcorn fraudster claimed dead dad's benefits in £740k scam
Originally Posted by Meg
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I don't know how some people live with themselves....
30-07-2019, 04:46 PM
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Re: Runcorn fraudster claimed dead dad's benefits in £740k scam
Originally Posted by Besoeker
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Almost 50k a year is a lot more than most people earn.
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